Type-writing machine.



L. R. ROBERTS.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18. 1914.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

INVE-NTOR:

wnmssis: I I Wfiw by the toggle, so that upon the work-sheet.

is avoided which usually takes place when LYMAN R. ROBERTS, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

\ TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

k -Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 18, 1914. Serial N0. 872,582.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LLYMAN R. ROBE TS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Rutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TypelV'riti'ng Machines, of'which the following i is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in type-bar actions for typewriting machines, its primary object being the provision of a simple, compact and reliable actuating mechanism, in which a powerful and uniform action of the type-bars is combined with an easy and elastic touch of the keys, and with the reduction, to a great extent, of the noise ordinarily incidental to operation.

According to the present invention, the

type-bar is moved rapidly toward the printing 'point in making its printing stroke, and

'is brought gradually to rest by means of a toggle, just before the type strikes the platen; the end of the bar whereon the type is positioned springing past the point at which the hub of the bar is brought to rest the type is impressed In this way, the noise the type-bars contact with the anvil or stop usually provided upon typewriting machines of this kind, while at the same time the blows of the types upon the platen are apt to be less noisy. The construction is such that the type also springs rapidly away from the platen in order to clear the type on the next bar actuated, which, this time is approaching the platen. While the type-bar is brought gradually to rest by means of the toggle, still the speed of the machine is not reduced, because the driving arm of the toggle preferably starts to move at a slow speed and gradually works up automatically to a high speed as the key completes its a stroke: Thus all the advantages ofa gradual arrest of the type-bars are secured, without sacrificing the'spee'd of operation, and

. moreover, the touch on the key may be eX- cellent, owing to the leverage on the types bar being very great at the beginning of the printing stroke, and relatively small at the completionthereof.

Each toggle preferably comprises a. driving arm, pivoted uponthe machine frame, and a thrust link connecting said drivin arm to the type-bar; the relation of the lin the forward r ing bent or twisted to conform to the planes their'pivotsarranged in anarc struck substantially from. the printing point, so that the relation of the driving arm to its typebar may be the same for all the type-bars,

ends of certain of the links beof movement of their respective type-bars. Each toggle-driving arm is preferably an arm of a bell-crank driving lever, which has a pin-and slot rconnection to a key-driven bell crank, such as to give the key great leverage at the start of the printing stroke and small leverage at the completion of the stroke. arrested when substantially in straightened Patented Jan. so, ram.

The toggle is preferably positively position, such arrest being effected, in the Q present instance, by means of'a stud on the key-driven bell crank engaging the end of the slot on the toggle-driving bell crank; although other arresting means may be provided.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of a typewriting machine embodying the present invention, the parts being shown in their normal position of rest. Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing a key depressed, and a type-bar thrown up to the platen. Fig. 3 1s 5 mounted on pivots 6, the links 4 being jointed to their short arms 7'. 'llhese bellcranks 5 constitute interponenti levers designed to operate main bell-cra'nk-levers 8,

pivoted at 9, and constituting the driving a detail sectional view of the improved roller 7 or toggle-driving lever 8 normally projects .20 yp frame.

' stud-carrying arm and the key lever.

- arms or members of the afore-mentioned toggles, for which purpose the long arm 10 of each bell crank 5 is equipped with a terminal stud 11, or like projection, that works 5 in alongitudinal slot 12 formed in the long arm 13 of the corresponding main driving lever 8, the length of the slot being suflicient to permit an extensiile movement of the stud. The short arm 14 of each main upwardly, and is connected at its free end by, a horizontal thrust link 15 that constitutes the other member of the toggle, to a lateral arm 16, formed on the rear end 18 5 of a type-bar 17 adjacent to the point 19 where the bar is fulcrumed on its hanger 20, said type-bar swinging in the usual manner toward and from the platen 21. The

hangers 20 may be connected with the usual segment 22, fixed on the machine driving levers is such that their pivots E! form an arc of which the printing point is substantiallythe center; and with reference to the links 15,.it may be stated that while those in the center of the machine have straight forward ends, the forward ends of the side links are twisted to conform to the planes in which their associated type-bars move," I

The long arms 10 and 13 ofthe toggledriving and key-driven levers 5 and 8 are disposed at the same side of their respective pivots6 and 9, and, when in normal position, extend in substantially the same direcppnent lever 5 rocking clockwise about its pivot 6, whereby its stud 1l .is caused to I travel inwardly along the slot 12,. with the result that the driving lever 8 is rocked in the same direction about its pivot 9, and the toggle is actuated to-swing the type-bar 17 5 stud reaches the end of said slot, 'at which upwardly and rearwardly toward the platen and to bringits hub or body gradually into a position of 'rest. The type-bar reaches this position of rest at the same time that the time both'the stroke of the key and the piv- .otal movement of the bar are terminated,

the bar being then in vertical position with its type close to, but out of contact with theo platen, while the short arm 14 of the driving lever and the toggle link 15 substantially allne with one another The end of the bar on whlch the type is located springs or snaps forward to the platen, however, by momentum, as indicated in dotted lines at Fig. 2,

The arrangement of the toggle-.

so as to effect the printing, and immediately thereafter springs back from the platen, thus preventing it from interfering with the movement of the 'bar struck by the next key, and obviating blurring. Thespringing of the type to the platen may be due partly to the resilience of the type-bar and partly to the yielding of the connections. At the beginning of the key stroke, the speed at which the type-bar is moved is slow and gradual, in comparison with" that of the key, owing to the initial position of the stud at the outer end of the slot 12, where the leverage of the .arm 10 of the V key-driven lever upon the slotted arm of the toggle-driving leverfreaches its maximum, but as the travel of the stud continues, the leverage is reduced and the speed of' the type-bar relative to the key is proportionately increased, due to the stud approach .ing the pivot or fulcrum 9 about which the toggle-driving lever turns. The speed of the type-bar relative to the key is further accelerated by reason of the gradualdecrease of the leverage exerted by the link 4,

upon the key-driven lever, due to the downward swinging movement 'of the arm 7 of saidlever, which tends to bring its point 25 of pivotal connection with the link into alinement with the latter and the pivot 6,

so that the arrangement as a whole results,

therefore, in an easy touch and a quick type stroke, and insures sharpness of impression, as well. 7

The ball bearings. for the type-bar 17 are preferably constructed as shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The central portion of the enlarged end 18 of the bar is first drawn out so as to produceon one side of the bar a short open-ended nipple, which is subsequently pressed into the shape of a frustO- conical projection or cup 26, and on the otherside thereof a depression or seat 27 of imilar shape. The terminal 28 of this cone or cup is drawn slightly outward, and is internally threaded to receive the threaded stemof the screw that constitutes the T afore-mentioned fulcrum 19 of the type-bar,

the formation of said terminal providing a surface which can readily be threaded and which affords an effective support for the screw stem. The head ofthe screw is tapered to produce a frusto-conical bearing surface 29 ij3hichfwhen the screw is in po sition, is op osite and complemental to the surface of'the cone or cup 26, and forms therewith an annular: groove of V-section for the reception of the balls 30.- The screw head is shown as hearing squarely against the end face of the sleeve-like terminal 28,

but it can be "adjusted if desired, and is slightly flattened on its conical face at the point 31- where the said face and its stem join to facilitate or augment such bearing contact. The concave seat or depression 27 receives a conical-faced nut 32 which is threaded on the screw stem and serves to lock the screw in adjusted position, the pro- Vision of the Seat obviating the necessity for the use of an additional retaining part for the nut. The aforementioned hanger 20, to which the type-bar is thus connected, 1s provided :with an opening or eye 33 into which the cone 26 and the screw head project, this opening having its wall formed with anannular groove 34: of V-section to complet the raceway.

Variations maybe resorted to within the scope of the invention,*and portions of the improvements may be used without others. Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a key lever-and a swinging type-bar, of a toggle comprising a pivot.- ally-mounted'driving arm ad a link connecting said driving arm t0 the type-bar, and connecting means between said driving arm and'said key lever for actuating the toggle during the printing stroke; said toggle being constructed and arranged to be straightened during the printing stroke and thereby bring the hub or body of said typebargradually to a position of rest, before its type-carrying end reaches the printing "point, while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point,

the toggle, when straightened, being trans verse to the line joining the types-bar pivot and the with the.-type-bar, whereby the toggle tively resists further rotation of the typebar on its pivot. p p

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a key lever and a ty'pebar, of atoggle comprising a bell-crank driving lever and a link connecting one arm of said driving lever to the type-bar, and connectnation with and the key lever for mg means between the other arm. of the driving lever and the key lever comprising a link and lever for actuating the toggle during the printing stroke; said togglet'being constructed and arranged to be straightened during the printing stroke and thereby bring the hub or body -of said type-bar,

gradually'to a position of rest before its typecarrying' end reaches the printing point, while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combilever and a type-bar, of,

a key a toggle comprising a bell-crank driving lever having one arm extending upwardly and a horizontal link connecting said arm to the type-bar, and connecting means between the other arm of the driving lever actuating the toggle during the printing stroke; said toggle be ing constructed and arranged to be straightened 'during the printing stroke and thereand the toggle during point of connection of the toggle.

posi:

type-carrying end reaches 7 forward'to the printing said toggle being constructed and arranged f'type-carrying end reaches the printing point while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point, the toggle, when straightened. being transverse to the line joining the type-bar pivot andthe point of connection of the toggle with the typebar, whereby the toggle positively resists further rotation of the type-bar on its pivot.

l. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a key lever and a type-bar, of a toggle comprising a pivotally-mounted driving arm and a link connecting said driving arm to the type-bar, a lever operatively connected to said driving arm, and a connection between the last-named lever and the key leverfor actuating the former the printing stroke; sald toggle being constructed and arranged to be straightened during the printing stroke and thereby bring the hub or body of said type-bar gradually to a position of rest before its type-carrying end reaches the printing point, while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a key lever and atype-bar, of a toggle comprising a bell crank driving lever and a link connecting one arm of said driving lever to-the type-bar, a lever operatively connected to the other arm of the driving lever, and aebnnection between the last-named lever and, the key lever for actuating the former and the toggle during the printing stroke; said toggle being'constructed and arranged to be straightened during the printing stroke and thereby bring the hub or body of said type-bar gradually to a position of rest before its the printing Said end to spring point.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a key lever and a type-bar, of a toggle comprising a bell crank driving lever )oint while ermittin l a p a having vertical and horizontal arms and a link connecting the vertical arm to the type-bar, a. lever operatively connected to the horizontal arm of the driving leverg and a connection between the and the key lever for actuating the former and the toggle during the printing strokg;

to be straightened during the printing st-ro 1 and thereby bring the hub or body of said type-bar gradually to a position of rest before its type-carrying end reaches the print,- ing point, while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point.

n atypelwriting machine, the' combination with a key lever and a type-bar, of a toggle comprising a bell-crank driving lever having a slot formed in one arm and a link connecting the other arm of said driving last-named lev r key stroke, to accelerate theprinting stroke of the type-bar, said toggle arranged to be straightened during the key stroke to bring the hub or body of said bar gradually to a position of rest at the conclusion of said key stroke but before its type-carrying end reaches the printing point, thereby permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point.

8. In a typewriting machine, the cofnbination with a keylever and a type-bar, of a toggle comprising a bell-crank driving lever having one arm extending upwardly and the connecting the first-named arm to the type-' bar, and a lever connected with the key along said slot during the key stroke, to accelerate the printing stroke of the type-bar, said toggle arranged to be straightened during the key stroke to bring the hub or body of said bar gradually to a-position of rest at the(conclusion of said key stroke but before its vtype-carrying end reaches the printing point, thereby permitting said end to forward ftothe' printing point.

-9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a key lever and a type-bar, of a spring connecting train between the key lever and type-bar including a toggle comprising a "bell-crank driver and a link connecting one armof said driver to said type-bar, a lever pivoted intermediate-its ends and having one arm slidably connected to the other arm of the driver, and a connection between the other arm of thelast-n'amed lever and the key lever to actuate the former and. the

-toggle during the key stroke; said connecting'train being constructed and arranged to accelerate the printing stroke of the type-bar 'and to bring the hub of body of said bar gradually to a position of rest at the connected with thekey lever and the other arm provided with a vprojection extending into said slot to actuate the toggle during the" key stroke,said' projection moving inwardly clusion of said key stroke before its typecarrying .end reaches the printing point while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point. 1 v

10. In a typewriting machine, the combi-' nation with a key lever and a type-bar, of a toggle comprising a bell-crank driver having one arm projecting upwardly and theother arm formed with a slot and a link con.-. necting the first-named arm of said driver to said type-bar, and a lever pivoted intermediate its ends and having one arm conalong said slot during the key stroke, to accelerate the printing stroke of the type-bar and to bring the hub or body of the latter gradually to a position of rest at the conclusion of said key stroke before its type- 7 necting one arm of said driving lever to the type-bar, and an interponent lever between the key lever and the other arm of said driving lever arranged to actuate the latter and cause the speed of the driving lever relative to that of the interponent lever to gradually other arm 1 formed with a slot and a link n a type-bar action for typewriting v so I increase during the printing stro c, said link v and its connected arm arranged to form a toggle which is moved to a straight line position during the printing stroke, to thereby bring the hub or body of the type-bar gradul ally to a position of rest before itsty'pe-carry ing end reaches the printing point, while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point.

12. The" combination with a key lever and a type-bar arranged to swing upwardly and rearwardly to printing position, of a connecting train comprising a bell-crank lever having an upwardly extending arm in rear of the type-bar, a thrust link connectingsaid arm to the type-bar, and connecting means between he key lever and the other arm of the bell-crank to actuate the latter and thereby cause said upwardly projecting arm to thrust point of connection of the toggle with the type-bar. J

13. The combination with a key lever and a type-bar arranged to swing upwardly and rearwardly to printing posit1on, o f a] convnecting train comprising a bell-crank lever having an upwardly extending arnrinrear of the type-bar, a thrust link connecting said -arm to the type-bar, and-connecting means 7 between the key lever and'the other arm ofthe bell-crank to actuate the latter and thereby cause said upwardly projecting arm to thrust the link forward and swing the type- :bar up, said link and. connected arm forming a toggle arrangedto be straightened during the printing stroke and thereby bring the hub-or body of the type-bar gradually to a position of rest before its type-carrying and reaches the printing point, while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point, said connecting means between the key lever and bell-crank being arranged to accelerate the speed of the bell-crank relative to that of the key lever,'whereby the speed of the type-bar relative to that of the key -ing train comprising a bell-crank lever having an upwardly extending arm in rear of the type-bar, a thrust link connecting said arm to the type-bar, and connecting means between the key lever and the other arm of the bell-crank to actuate the latter and there-,

by-cause said upwardly projecting arm to thrust the link forward and swing the typebarup, said link and connected arm forming a toggle arranged to be straightened during v the. printing stroke and thereby bring the hub or body of the type-bar gradually to a position of rest before its type-carrying end reaches the printing point, while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point, said connecting means between the key I lever and bell-crank comprising an intering its flllCIllHIlIl moved, during the key ponent lever having a sliding connection with the bell-crank and arranged so that the point of contact at which the driving power of the interponent lever is applied to the bell-crank moves toward the fulcrum of the bell-crank during the type stroke and thereby accelerates the speed of the bell-crank and type-bar relative to that of the key lever during .the printing stroke.

15. Ina typewritingmachine, 'the combination with a swinging type-bar and a key lever, of a connecting train comprising a driving lever, a link'connecting the latter with the type-bar, an interponent lever havfixed position v relative to that of the driving lever, said interponent lever having a sliding connection with the driving lever, the point of connection moving toward the fulcrum of thedriving lever duning the key stroke,and a link connecting the key lever with an arm of said interponent lever, said last-mentioned link and arm being stroke, toward a straight line'position, whereby the speed of said interponent lever key lever is accelerated during the key stroke to accelerate the speed of the type-bar, said sliding connection serving to further accelerate the speed of the type-bar by accelerating the speed of the driving lever relative to that of the interponent lever. v

16. In a typewritingmachine', the combination with an upwardly and rearwardly swinging type-bar and a key lever extending orwardly from its pivot and located beneath the beneath the reaches the relative to that of the type-bar, of a connectingitraiu between the key lever and type-bar c0mpris latter so arranged that said wrist moves to-- ward, the fulcrum of theibell-crank during the printing stroke to thereby accelerate the speed of the bell-crank relative to that of the interponent lever, saidwrist being brought tothe end of the slot before the type-carrying end of thetype-bar reaches the printing point to thereby form a stop for the key lever and also stop the swing-,

ing movement of vthe hub of the type-bar while permitting said end thereof to spring forward to the printing point.

17. In a typewriting machine, the combination with an upwardly and-rearwardly swinging type-bar and a key lever extending forwardly from its pivot and located type-bar, of a connecting train between the key lever and type-bar comprising a bellcrank having an upstanding arm in rear of the type-bar fulcrum, a thrust link connectin said arm with the typebar, said bell-crank having a rearwardly extending slotted arm, an interponent lever having a wrist working, in said slot, a link connecting said interponent lever'with the toggl which is straightened during the a printing stroke to thereby bring the hub or body of the type-bar gradually to a position of rest' before its type-carrying end printing point while permitting said end to spring forward to the printing point, said wrist' being brought to the end of its slot as the toggle'reaches said straight,

ened position, to thereby form a stop for the key lever, interponent lever and bell crank.

18. In a type-bar action fortypewriting machi nes,the combination with a type-bar arranged to swing from a recumbent position'to an upright position at the printing point,'of a driving lever comprising an arm extending upwardly-from its pivot, a thrust link connected to said arm above said pivot and extendingiforwardly therefrom and pivoted to the type-bar, a key lever beneath the type-bar, and an accelerating mechanism forming a driving connection between the key lever and said driving ever, said mechanism arranged to accelera ethe speed of the driving lever relativeto that of the key lever during the key stroke, said thrust link and connected arm forming a toggle moved to a straight 'line position during the key stroke.

19. The combination with a pivoted typebar, of a thrust link pivoted thereto to move ,7 at its point of connection with th 'type-bar about the type-bar pivot' as a center, a driving lever having an arm pivoted to said link and substantially perpendicular thereto when the type-bar is in its normal position of rest, a key lever, and an accelerating lever actuated by the key lever and having a sliding connection With said driving lever arranged to accelerate the speed of the driving lever relative to that of the accelerating lever during the key stroke, said link and connected arm movable to a position in Which they are substantially in line and the carrying end of the type-bar adjacent the W. O. WEs'rPHAL, DELOS G. HAYNES. 

